no title

Deadly fire at the Ohio Penitentiary, 1930

By: Susan Stonick

The Columbus Dispatch - February 16, 2012 02:46 PM

FILE PHOTO

A tragic fire in Honduras this week killed at least 358 prisoners. It displaced an April 21,
1930 fire at the Ohio Penitentiary as the
world's
deadliest prison fire. A total of 322 inmates died. It was also one of the worst fires in
United States history.

Ohio's largest prison was at 300 percent capacity with about 4,300 inmates when the fire broke
out about 5:30 p.m. on the day after Easter. The fire began in oily rags on the roof of the west
flank of the prison, which was located Downtown at Spring Street and Neil Avenue.

An investigation found that three inmates had started the blaze in an attempt to create a
diversion for an attempted prison break. Two of those men later committed suicide. Investigators
also determined that prison guards, unsure of what to do when the fire broke out, did not unlock
the cellblock immediately, dooming many of the inmates.

The following links have more information about the deadly Penitentiary fire: